Reputation Management

Reputation Matters

Ask Michael Vick, Snooki, Penn State University or any teenager—reputation matters. And a bad reputation can kill a brand. In an online world, a brand’s reputation can turn sour in a matter of minutes. We can’t control the Internet—not yet, anyway—but we can manage it.

It’s Like Building a House

It can take roughly four months to build a house from the ground up, and building an effective reputation management program can be similar. Be patient. It’s a process. Your company or brand will get there, but you’ve got to build credibility, and that doesn’t happen overnight.

Blueprints Are Helpful

Your house needs blueprints, and so does a reputation management strategy. It’s often said, “Luck is the residue of good planning.” And indeed, having a structured plan in place is what ultimately leads to the promised land.

Perspective Is the Key

No one—especially a reporter—respects a brand agent that can’t be objective about its company or product. And whether you think so or not, reporters aren’t inclined to believe an approach that says your company or brand is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Understand the reality of who and what you are.